Once you learn how this one programming language works you basically have the power to learn any other language that you set your sight in at any given moment, the main thing you need to do is learn the syntax and the rest will fall into place. The programming language I am talking about is also curiously one of the first that was ever developed back in the second half of the 20th century.
Python, for example, is a very user-friendly language that is easily written and read by a human being given the way it is structured. There are no pesky semicolons, you don’t need to declare a variable type since it will recognize it by itself, indentation works as the brackets and the applications are endless, but I would not recommend someone looking to learn how to program to start with this one. Instead, everyone should start their journey by learning C.
Now, you might be thinking: isn’t C a dead language? and the answer to this question would be: definitely no!
You see, C is like the godfather of programming languages. Developed by Dennis Ritchie in 1972 it was meant to be used only on UNIX systems. As time went by the popularity of this particular programming language grew due to its portability, speed, and versatility. C was used to build operating systems like Windows, the Linux Kernel, and most modern high-level programming languages like Python and Java, one could say that nowadays the world is being powered by C. Since it’s creation the applications have been endless ranging from developing an OS, to Databases, to being used in an embedded system due to its low-level qualities and many others.
If you learn how to program in C it will provide the perfect canvas upon which you can paint new development and learning experiences using popular modern languages and you will understand what is going on under the hood of your code, it is really good for anyone to really be aware of the ins and outs of their trade. The C programming language has a lot to offer and the road is not an easy one to follow but it is definitely worth it.
The compilation process in C is what makes it so manipulable and it consists of three main stages that you can choose to work at by providing the right command to the compiler program: preprocessing, compilation, assembly, linking. I won’t go into detail for each of the stages but this is were you can almost speak to your computer as if you were talking to a Skynet machine from the future.
Basically, what I am trying to say with this information is that in order to build a good base to become a programmer it is a good idea to go the hard way and start by learning C. This will provide you with all the tools you need to begin your career and then every other language will be easier to learn since C is what the rest (at least most) are made of under the hood.
There are some free courses online you can find on Youtube that will give you much more detailed info and get you going on the right path.
I wish you the best.
S.
